The Legend that was Nemene
Chapter One
The sky was serene. It was almost dusk and the exquisite molten drop that was the sun had approached the horizon and was busy igniting the surrounding cloud formations into a beautiful collage of red, blue and purple. It's final display before nightfall. The giant sho-wing cut through the placidity, soaring at an impossible velocity at a dizzying height.
Nemene peered out through the window to her right, calmly surveying their expedited descent into the beautiful city of Tzora. With at least another ten minutes to go until landing, the Sho-wing was already skirting the boundaries of the colossal city – one of the largest in the world. Despite her inward calm, Nemene felt a sense of irritation, inwardly vexed that her evening had been disrupted. After a long day's work she had hoped to laze about in her penthouse apartment in the exclusive Heron district of Paaren Disen. Her well thought out plans had included drinking some fabulously expensive red wine from Paral while reading the newest fiction novel by Cassali (whose complex plots always intrigued her) against a backdrop of a monumental symphony … Lionel for instance. That would have to wait.
Being a legend had its drawbacks. Clearly she had feasted on all the benefits associated with the mastery of her art, but times like these were relatively common, and inevitable as the price for greatness. With a brief sniff she turned away from the captivating view and hailed the stewardess.
"Rasberry juice with a dash of lime, please", she mentioned curtly to the attending stewardess.
After receiving her sundowner she lazed back slightly in her large leather seat, using the time to compose her thoughts before the wheels touched the ground. She was used to privilege; she couldn't remember when she had last flown anything but first-class on a flight. Picking up the file addressed to her, she placed the relevant documentation to one side and placed the digital disk in the console seated within her right armrest. Inserting an earpiece into her right ear she waited patiently for the disc to start playing. Moments later the display on the plasma screen above her left armrest activated displaying a spiraling Health Department sigil. As the sigil faded the well known aging face of Roedran Tenel Veleron appeared and began to speak…
"Good day to you Nemene. As you know we leave only the most difficult cases to you, and we believe this qualifies. Early this afternoon, the pregnant wife of Prime Counsellor Opien was involved in a serious accident when her luxury Jo-car collided with a fuel tanker on the main continental freeway. Her chauffeur and personal assistant were killed instantly. Mrs Opien, however, survived – but in a worse than critical state."
Nemene was drawn from the first word. These missions were like the most elusive puzzles to solve and the more they challenged her, the more she was drawn. Certain words like 'serious', 'killed' and 'critical' always made her eyes flare involuntarily sending pulses of heat and pleasure rushing through her.
"… Of course, after their nine best Restorers failed in their attempts, we sent two of our best. When they failed we knew that we would have to get one of our foremost to aid her. She is a woman of considerable influence and power, you understand. Losing her will have … implications. Her injuries are above most of us – except for you, and perhaps Kendar of course."
Laughing softly to herself, Nemene understood. A woman of power and influence … of course. The rich and famous always caused her the worst inconvenience. Their supporters, contacts and aids would move the planet to have their idols Healed if need be. Her laugh only lasted moments though – she was beyond rich and famous herself. Without a doubt, she was one of the most famous and wealthy women in the world and yet she was summoned like some servant dog to Heal those who couldn't stand near to her on any pedestal. It filled her with revulsion. She was over 400 years old yet she looked well short of her middle years – and in all those years she had never met anyone who approached her Talent with Healing. Kendar was named as her male counterpart but only because he was accomplished and had his third name too, which required great mastery with the Talent. Granted, he was more skilled than her regarding cardiovascular injuries but then, men were naturally stronger in certain areas of Healing. That left her every other system to dominate – which she did. She had been on at least ten missions with him over the past two years when a circle had been deemed the rational choice. Despite her dismissive scoff that she would need any aid in Healing anyone, she understood that it was yet more advertising on the Hall's part demonstrating to young Aes Sedai that even two of their greatest could work together. She always smiled when she thought of Kendar. Despite being her proverbial equal, Kendar used to demand that an extra Restorer link with them just so that Nemene could lead the circle. When she asked him whether he wanted to lead he would begin to sweat and pitifully back away. Her equal indeed … the man was a hound begging for the scraps which fell from her gilded plate.
"… she has suffered major burns to the majority of her body and is rapidly progressing to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. She has sustained a severe brain injury and at least four long bone fractures. The baby is six weeks premature and is alive, but clearly on the verge of fetal distress. More details will be available when you arrive at the hospital. As you know, we would allow you to Travel right to the area immediately, but the entire city has been warded for the New Year's fireworks display tomorrow night. The wards tend to interfere with gateways, so we took the safe, but slower option. Your help is greatly appreciated. I will be in Tzora later on in the day. I may come over to have a chat. First Restorer out."
Removing the disk, she placed it in the cover. The aircraft rolled lazily to the right and the familiar drum of the lowered landing gear filled the cabin accompanied by the Captain's sentimental adorations for choosing his Sho-line. Passing over the city centre she could see the colossal Tzoran skyscrapers reaching up to her … hundreds of feet into the air and almost all made of crystal ranging from light blue to fiery red. The view was breathtaking as the buildings caught the diminishing sunlight and scattered it many times over. Roedran in Tzora - that was strange. Usually he would spend New Year's in Paaren Disen with the rest of the upper class basking in Lews Therin's greatness and prestige. Perhaps he was here for business of his own, or worse – to check up on her like some child. Random reviews were not unheard of, but she hadn't been checked for over two decades now. Maybe he'd come to learn something about her methods or perhaps Kendar claimed she was bullying him. That would be amusing.
After touching down, the main terminal of Barid Bel Medar International came into view. It was a modern architectural wonder made of the best Tzoran crystal created by the world's foremost architects less than five years ago. Alighting first from the Sho-wing she strode away from the masses who would follow. Nemene was a model of grace and elegance. She was wearing some of her better attire tonight; that being a relative term considering all her clothing was exclusive design wear. Her long dress was made from the finest silks and its layers of green, yellow and red flowed down her tall physique. After being handed her cloak she promptly placed it over her bare shoulders, each now covered with the half-white half-black disk separated by a sinewed line. It was the symbol of Aes Sedai, and it added to the legend that was her. Striding into the First Class lounge, she turned almost every head, partly due to her fame and partly due to her striking appearance.
A blonde-haired girl quickly approached her. Cloaked in the same way, she was obviously Aes Sedai too, but young … and short. Nemene was tall, even for a man, but to her it was yet another omen of her standing above all women, and most men.
"Nemene Damendar Boann? It is a great honour. A very great honour indeed. I am Sashelle Sedai and I've come to escort you to Talishar Memorial Hospital. If you would follow me."
Nemene followed without expression or comment. The girl was obviously overcome with admiration with her permanent idiotic smile and her glances in Nemene's direction when she thought no one was looking.
"You have been Aes Sedai long?" Nemene asked. Conceding to some frivolous talk could perhaps dissuade that fool smile from her face.
"Twenty years, High Restorer."
"You have the Talent?"
"Yes, High One. Possibly as high as category 6. I'm hoping to come into my title as Restorer within the next decade with luck."
"Perhaps. It will take some hard work on your part. And confidence and practice. You can handle six flows?"
The girl looked down and blushed. "Not yet, High One. I can only manage four at the present time. And I'm weak and clumsy with Fire." Nemene could see tears glistening in her eyes.
"Then practice. And don't feel sorry for yourself. They won't raise you unless you can split at least six ways. Before retiring at night, spend one hour channeling three flows of Fire. One full hour, you understand. You won't believe the difference. If after six months you find you have not progressed and you have practiced as I said, then you are truly weak in Fire. I would then advise investing everything you have in a ter'angreal to focus Fire. I say everything because they are direly expensive, even for one such as I."
"Thank you, High One. Thank you so much. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your unique counsel. I shall do exactly as you say."
They strode on in silence to the luxury Jo-car which had been sent for her. Climbing in they raced away in the direction of the city centre, As the buildings passed by, Nemene could see evidence of saidar in wards on every street corner. The way the wards kinked indicated saidin. Not even inverted. How inconsiderate. Nemene glanced at the girl who was sitting in silence on the other side of the Jo-car looking at her hands, obviously in deep thought.
Sashelle was stronger than the average woman. With practice she could become a decent Restorer, but her self-effacing attitude and low self-esteem were despicable. The trademark of a loser. Nemene smiled. Was she being too harsh? Was she too arrogant? She laughed. The girl glanced at her and joined in the humour. The rest of the journey was made in silence.
Perhaps she had become arrogant after all her years. She had been born with everything. Her parents were both extremely wealthy, but amazingly neither could channel and they had died centuries ago leaving her a vast fortune. Being an only child, she could focus on her training. She was strong in saidar, oh yes, so very strong. It was so rare for a woman to exceed her that she would often blink and look the fool when she came upon the occurrence. Luckily that had only happened twice, once at a psychiatry conference when she met the noted Kamarille Maradim Nindar, and the other time when she crossed paths with a stunning young girl with long black hair training to be Aes Sedai over a century ago. She doubted those two women had any exceptional Healing Talent, and she wondered if they were also as masterfully strong as she in all of the Five Powers. No matter, they were no threat. That young girl had irritated her though. She seemed more arrogant than she herself, and despite being exquisitely beautiful, she was considerably stronger. Nemene doubted a stronger woman existed in the world. Another perfect little package, much like Nemene. She scowled at the window; she was a jealous woman even though she wouldn't admit it. That girl had even managed to snare Lews Therin for a short time before he booted the tramp out onto the sidewalk. She found she was smiling again. The Jo-car had slowed down and finally stopped.
"We are here, Nemene Sedai."
"I see so, Sashelle. Come by my apartments in Paaren Disen one week from today. I'll teach you some tricks I've learned. Take you under my wing, shall we say?"
"A great honour, Aes Sedai. I gladly accept."
"I'll have my secretary elec-mail you the details regarding my residence. Until then."
"Farewell High One, and thank you."
Stepping out of the Jo-car, Nemene curtly thanked the chauffeur who had opened the door for her but inwardly berated herself. Why had she decided to take this oaf under her wing? Perhaps she was merely in a charitable mood. Or perhaps she had finally become bored with exaggerated luxury and the superficial cocktail parties which saturated her glamorous life. Perhaps her soul was crying out for a new challenge – but to teach a hopeless case? That was reaching too far, but it was too late to recant without losing face.
The hospital was a magnificent sight – a large cueran building approximately twenty levels in height. This must be Talishar Memorial – the best Care Centre in the city. Not bad she thought. It could give some bigger cities' hospitals a run for their money but surely not Paaren Disen's which was at least as beautiful and over fifty times larger. Stepping through the electronic glass doors she was warmly greeted by a delegation of Restorers and a small legion of admirers who had picked up on her arrival.
"Nemene Damendar Sedai, I am Korgade Jubanti – chief Restorer in Tzora. I must thank you for your hasty consultation. We have tried everything and we know that if you cannot help her, none of us can."
"Right you are, Korgade. Let us skip the pleasantries and see to the patient."
"Of course, Restorer. Of course. If you would follow me."
Walking through the white passages Nemene gracefully maintained her poise. Nurses and patients gasped when they saw her, but she was accustomed to this. She would have woven Illusion if it didn't instantly reveal how transparent and shakable she was. A small army followed hastily behind her … at least fifteen Restorers, some well into their retirement years, thirty Restorer apprentices and about ten random Aes Sedai who had been pulled in by the hysteria. What did they hope to learn from her? Did they really think they could duplicate anything she did? Her brief snort caused Korgade to miss a step, but he hastily caught up with her. Entering the theatres she stepped through the decontamination ter'angreal which removed all potential pollutants and pathogens she might have dragged in with her. A crowd had gathered around the theatre housing Mrs Opien. Stepping into the theatre she was introduced to a scene of chaos and disharmony. Very soon she would become angry. Two Restorers were arguing loudly, nurses were shouting at one another, one was in tears, and two technicians were busy shouting Mrs Opien's vital signs to anyone who would listen. In the middle lay a thrashing monstrosity, a hideously burned char groaning and convulsing.
"You never Healed the burns?"
"Pardon, Nemene Sedai, but her cerebral wounds opposed the Healing weave, and we didn't know how to Heal burns without Fire and prevent fetal harm at the same time."
"Perhaps, but I would say that the mother's life is more important in this scenario. The child could been seen as a necessary sacrifice to save her. It's all irrelevant at this stage anyway. In five seconds from now I want this theatre cleared. I want your best Restorer to stay and one nurse. One composed nurse. Now move!"
Korgade immediately started screaming orders and people whisked by Nemene in a furious attempt to clear the room before she was roused to anger. The theatre was still in terrible disarray, the floor covered with papers, used needles and intravenous drip sets.
"I am Larissa, Nemene Sedai. I'll be assisting you."
"Clean this theatre quickly please. I can't work in a pigsty." Nemene realized that she still sounded calm but deep inside a flame was building. These simpletons couldn't run a street stall, never mind a hospital. And in one of the greatest cities in the world! It was a disgrace. The dark-haired woman with interlaced streaks of grey suddenly glowed with the light of saidar, and eight flows of Air started mopping up the area with occasional trickles of Water and Fire to clean puddles or incinerate garbage.
"Good. You are to monitor her vital signs and perform whatever I tell you without question."
"Yes, High Restorer."
The masses had filed into a gallery with a glass observation deck twenty feet above her head. No doubt this hospital was used for academic reasons too. She could see the Aes Sedai watching fervently, as well as small streams of saidar trickling into the male Aes Sedai. They had likely linked with their female friends so that they could see her wonders with saidar. Hastily walking over to Mrs Opien, Nemene embraced the Source and Delved her, feeling for every anomaly from the life-threatening subdural haematoma pressing her brain, to her broken ring finger on her left hand, to her elevated plasma potassium levels. Twenty-two abnormalities for her to deal with; not her record but close enough.
Stepping back, she glanced at the gallery who were excitedly and animatedly chatting behind the sound proof glass. She doubted a third of them could duplicate that weave. The poignant moment had now arrived. A demonstration of the Legend that was Nemene Damendar Boann. She drew on the Power, drew on saidar until she could draw no more. Filled with the ecstasy of the Power she could see, hear and smell with an edge that blunted her normal state. The Power was everything. Taking a deep breath she began her weaving. She would succeed.
Weaving Fire and Spirit she set the weave around the spinal cord in the fifth cervical space which would provide total anaesthesia. At the same time she split her flow and wove Spirit streaked with Air and Water and wove it around the hippocampal area of the patient's brain to produce a sense of euphoria and calm serenity. A third flow tied a complex flow of Spirit around the hypothalamic area of the brain to maintain stability of the blood pressure, pulse and temperature.
"What is the ambient temperature?"
"Twenty-one degrees Celsius in this room. Patient body temperature 33.6 degrees Celsius."
Splitting her flow for the fourth time she wove a net of Fire around the room which would heat the air and help raise Mrs Opien's suboptimal core temperature. Tying off the weave she continued.
"Let me know when the room temperature equates normal body temperature."
"As you say, High One."
Mrs Opien had stopped thrashing about and Nemene's three maintained flows kept her stable for the time being. Forming the fourth flow again she wove Fire and Water and stimulated the alpha and beta receptors in Mrs Opien's heart and blood vessels producing a more optimal cardiac output.
"Status."
"Pulse 120, BP 110 over 50, Haemoglobin 3.1, Glucose 1.8 millimols per litre, temperature 35.6 degrees Celsius."
The cardiovascular output was acceptable for the moment but Nemene was perturbed by the patient's anaemia and low blood sugar. She had detected a hole in the patient's aorta when she Delved her, and the femur fractures would have added to the blood loss. Splitting the fifth flow she wove all five Powers and stimulated the patient's bone marrow, immediately sensing a huge release of red cells into the patient's circulation. Most acceptable. Weaving her sixth flow she wove Water with touches of Spirit and stimulated the liver to convert its stores into sugar to fuel Mrs Opien's ravenous body.
"Improvement?"
"Yes. All parameters within normal limits. Even body temperature."
Hastily unraveling the Fire knot around the room, she contemplated her next move while still maintaining the other six flows. She had to start working on the injuries or she would soon be back where she started. Weaving her seventh flow she wove Earth, Fire and Spirit and instantly Healed the seven severe fractures afflicting the patient. She would have to maintain that weave for some time to provide the necessary calcification for the newly woven bone. New Restorers often forgot to do this and the delighted patient would leap from the bed and break their leg again. Weaving Fire, Air and Spirit she repaired the hole in the aorta using an eighth flow but quickly altered it to replace the Air with Earth. Suddenly all the congealed haemorrhaged blood was drawn out of the patient's body. It was useless, the clotting cascade could not be reversed, only halted. Weaving Fire she incinerated the useless material in midair. The patient was slowly improving but she still had severe burns and a large head injury. Weaving Fire, Air and Spirit she caressed every surface of Mrs Opien's cracked flesh with this intricate weave. Pink skin immediately replaced the ruined tissue leaving ash to fall to the floor. Fire would normally harm a fetus if used to regenerate tissues like skin, but very few Restorers knew that Air opposed this effect. She would have to maintain this flow too for a while to prevent Mrs Opien's body from using her own energy to fuel the Healing effort. Eight maintained flows, but there was more. Weaving all five Powers into a weave of extreme complexity she aimed the ninth flow at the area where Mrs Opien's brain had bled. The blood diminished and then vanished, and the brain tissue slowly started regenerating thanks to the unnatural stimulation the Earth and Spirit had on the growth genome. The Spirit and Water also took care of memories and remembered functions in that new brain cellularity. Mrs Opien would be as good as new when she was awoke and wouldn't need to spend months learning to speak or walk again, or the like. With the patient healthy and saved she could concentrate on the fetus. Weaving her tenth flow she Delved the fetus, and was surprised to find him alive, yet distressed. Modifying the flow to a razor sharp weave of Air, she sliced down to the uterus in one smooth swing and floated him out shortly thereafter. Slicing the umbilical cord and placenta she floated the neonate over to the infant trolley.
"Delve him," she told Larissa.
Using that same tenth flow, she wove all five Powers and started knitting the cut tissues back together leaving no evidence of a scar. No evidence of anything really.
"Cardiac arrest and Apnea."
Time for her eleventh flow – a rarity among even strong males. Weaving Fire she hurled it into the child's chest and watched in expectation as the child gasped and the pulse returned. Delving the child she added Water and Air to the flow and started rejuvenating the child whose colour rapidly changed from blue to pink. It was done. Larissa, with her back to her, was now tending the baby. And now for the extra bit … weaving Fire and Spirit she stimulated Mrs Opien's pain centres. The patient immediately started groaning and rolling about in agony. She could feel joy rushing through her, she wanted to harm the patient, make her feel agony. The doors to the theatre swung open and she released all her flows and the Source on the instant. A group of adoring Aes Sedai suddenly swarmed her, thanking her and applauding what they considered to be miraculous work. Smiling preemptively she offered her thanks and started slowly for the exit of the theatres, only to find herself face to face with Roedran Veleron, his half-smile present but clearly forced.
"Well done Nemene. A truly unique act. You will be lauded for this for weeks to come in almost every newspaper. I was watching from the gallery until a few seconds ago, and I have never seen such dexterity with saidar. My wife kindly allowed me to link with her."
"I'm honoured you came Roedran. I expected to see you later. As you can see I have done my duty for Mrs Opien, and understandably I feel overworked. If you will excuse me…"
"Not yet, Nemene. I need to have a word with you. Follow me to one of the side conference rooms. Now."
Gliding in silence alongside Roedran, Nemene entered the conference room first and calmly took a seat in one of the leather chairs used for medical conference delegates. Roedran's smile was gone now, replaced with malice and a tinge of disgust. Suddenly she felt uneasy. Surely he couldn't know?
"You've been very independent of late Nemene. No audits, no inspections. Nothing. Until a few months ago when some disturbing reports entered my offices regarding your Healing."
"My patients are all as well as can be."
"Indeed they are, but there is another element. They owe their lives to you and yet, they owe more than that, don't they?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"Don't you?" Roedran asked with malevolent amusement in his eyes. She had the feeling he was forcibly restraining himself from physically attacking her. He handed her a sealed document. "Here is a summons Nemene. One week from now you will appear before a commission to defend yourself against these allegations. I myself am certain that you will know the allegations before reading a word of that document."
"You were here today. You saw what I did!"
"Oh yes I did. I saw. I saw everything. Rules have been broken. Laws even. Someone must pay, and today I discovered who." She opened her mouth to form a rebuttal but he instantly turned on his heel and strode out of the room at a murderous pace.
For the longest time Nemene stared ahead of her, unconsciously toying with the envelope in her hand. Steeling a deep breath, Nemene rose to her feet. Ignoring the mild tremor in her arms and the ascending feeling of nausea building in her stomach, she embraced saidar, partly for comfort and partly for purpose. Weaving Spirit she opened a gateway to her apartment in Paaren Disen, barely noticing the weave's shimmer as it resonated with the fireworks wards. This act would cost her a heavy fine; Travelling from unassigned areas was forbidden. She didn't care. Her life was about to undergo a potential catastrophic shift and worse things were going to be lost than money. Stepping through the gateway, she contemplated the following week's events. She would need to consider possibilities and potential decisions. There were those who would seize any opportunity to bring her down. They would try to steal from her … assets, status and more. She almost wished they would try. Softly gliding through the apartment, she released the gateway and the Source. That fire which roared within her chest begged for a release, and very soon she expected she would be able to provide it with some direction. This time she did smile, and if anyone had been there to see it, they would have soiled themselves.
To be continued…